By Jack Macias ’14
THE ROUNDUP
After being a part of the varsity track team that won state in 2011 and one of the few that went to nationals, Danny Vimmerstedt ’12 is back for his final year on the team.
Vimmerstedt competes in both shot-put and discus, which he started when he was a freshman.
After Brophy won the state championship last year, Vimmerstedt placed 18th at state with discus and at the national level placed 8th for discus.
“I’m really looking to get some big throws this year,” Vimmerstedt said. “I’m more developed of an athlete, and have a more developed technique.”
While he did not place last year in state at shot-put, he said he hopes to obtain a 46-foot throw this year.
“I’m hoping that I throw a 165 (in discus),” Vimmerstedt said.
A 165-throw for discus would put him 20 feet above his previous record of 145 feet.
Vimmerstedt said the motivation behind his throws is his “disgust of losing” and that he does his best to inspire others by leading by example.
Teammate and veteran thrower Mark Flores ’13 said that Vimmerstedt “treats everyone great and if we need advice on what to do to improve our throwing, we usually ask him, and he’s happy to give us some.”
Vimmerstedt said he believes freshman are important to the team and makes them stay with it.
“Nobody’s ever picked up a disk or a shot and out thrown anybody because it’s so unorthodox and off from what you normally do,” Vimmerstedt said.
Vimmerstedt tries to improve his throws by practicing at Brophy and visiting an outside facility with an Olympic level track coach, which he said he believes will improve him.
“Mr. Welty (Brophy discus coach) really helps to facilitate the perfection of the throw down to its finest details, and Mr. Klein (Brophy shot-put coach) with his understanding of shot really helps.”
While he works on his throw many days, he also visits the weight room a lot.
“Like I said, Danny trains day in and day out, I don’t think a day goes by and he doesn’t work out. He puts his heart into the throwing, and being in the gym improves it,” Flores said.
